A Iowa billboard paid for by the North Iowa Tea Party ranks President Barack Obama with Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. (AP Photo/Globe Gazette, Deb Nicklay)

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An Iowa billboard comparing President Obama to Adolf Hitler is causing a tempest in the Tea Party ranks, reports the Telegraph.The Mason City ad also compares the president to Soviet leader VI Lenin, and declares: "Radical leaders prey on the fearful and naive." The billboard clearly highlights Obama's pro-socialism stance, said a pleased North Iowa Tea Party co-founder Bob Johnson.

But Shelby Blakely, a spokesman for the national Tea Party Patriots, said the sign was not appropriate, and that her group opposes any such comparisons.The schism underlines the continuing battle for the soul of the Tea Party as some factions fight to nudge the movement into the mainstream where it can win a bigger chunk of the political pie. The White House had no comment.

If the Tea Party movement ever wants to become accepted by mainstream America they do need to tone down the radical element and stick to making a coherent argument for what they believe. Not just try to smear Obama as a socialist... even though he may be one. The are way too far out in right field at this point to be taken seriously by many conservatives... Including me. You win votes by making positive arguments for change. Not so much by trying to compare your opponent to history's tyrants and loonies.

Rocket448

Jul 14, 2010 9:15 PM CDT

"ShelbySweetPea" writes a blog and is a member of the Tea Party Leadership Council. As a spokesperson, she's doing ok. However, as a member of the TPLC shouldn't she have said those comments to her membership BEFORE the billboard was erected?

STACCEE

Jul 14, 2010 9:02 PM CDT

OH YEA THE TEA PARTIERS AREN'T RACIST, AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THEN U ALSO BELIEVE THAT SHIT DON'T STINK. BOTH STANK